“That can’t be good for her.” I grunted as I felt the moment when Io dragged her dagger against Xander’s palm. “It didn’t work!” I called out. I went over to her worktable to grab a length of linen to wrap my hand up.
When she came back into her room, I said to Io, “You have to sleep.”
“I will. After I figure this out.” She went through her handwritten notes on the table and started muttering to herself.
“No, Io. Now.”
“She’s right,” Zalira said, while Ahyana nodded. “You are going to wear yourself out.”
“There’s just so much I need to do ...”
I put my hand over hers. “It can all wait.”
“But I wanted to go with you to interrogate Lysimache.”
Ahyana and Zalira looked as concerned as I felt. I didn’t want her to come with me. “I don’t think that’s the best idea. You haven’t slept in two days. That means you’re not the most reliable person to interrogate an evil woman with. I’m worried that you might try to choke her to death.”
“I’ve imagined it,” Io admitted wearily as she sat down.
“That’s what worries me,” I said, crouching next to her so we could still be eye level. “I want you to remember who you are. You’re the acolyte of the goddess who is studying as a healer because you want to help save people.”
“Maybe the best way to save people is to kill those responsible for putting them in danger.”
“This isn’t you,” I reminded her. “Don’t get away from who you are, because we all love you just as you are. We will take care of this for you. We will stop Artemisia, and Lysimache is going to answer our questions. You’ve made sure of it.”
Io nodded. “I want you to ask her about Daphne.”
“Daphne?” Io’s former mentor had died suddenly not too long ago.
“When she died, Lysimache got sick at the same time. I think she’s responsible somehow.”
“I’ll ask her,” I promised, although I feared the outcome if the high priestess had killed Daphne. I might not be able to stop Io from doing something drastic. She had been so close to Daphne.
“You need to remember that Lysimache was a princess, probably in a court similar to mine. She’s used to trickery and maneuvering,” Io said. “Start off by asking her easy questions. Things she wouldn’t mind answering, or things she would be happy to brag about because she thinks she’s so clever. Then build up to the more serious ones—where the eye is, who Artemisia is pledged to. You don’t want her to realize that she’s being compelled. Let her think she’s answering because she wants to.”
“Why would that matter? What could she do if she figured it out?” I asked.
“Attack you.”
“I’d take her easily.”
“She could cover her ears and yell loudly so that she can’t hear you. Or beat her head against a stone wall to knock herself out. My point is, she’s been alive for a very long time. She would come up with something. We have this one chance. Once she realizes what we’ve done, she’ll go back to refusing to drink any water.”
Maybe I could get one of Xander’s phratry brothers to hold her down and pour water down her throat. But then she’d probably force herself to vomit it up.
Io was correct. We had this one opportunity to get it right. Lysimache was too wily to let us trick her a second time.
Zalira stood. “I’ll go with Lia, and Ahyana can stay here to make certain that Io sleeps and that she’s safe.”
Ahyana nodded to show she agreed with the plan.
“Fine,” Io said. “I’ll sleep if you promise you’ll tell me everything that happens.”
“Agreed,” I said.
Io lay down in her bed and then took a vial with a dark green liquid that I knew was her sleeping potion. Within a few moments she was fast asleep.
“Potions to stay awake, potions to sleep,” Ahyana said with a shake of her head. “Could they create some kind of dependency? Should we be worried?”
